


Flash

by GreysPrincess



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Angst, F/M, I can't write sad endings, but not permanently so, could definitely be viewed as friendship only if you prefer, pre-reveal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-10
Updated: 2015-12-10
Packaged: 2018-05-05 23:12:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,076
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5393807
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GreysPrincess/pseuds/GreysPrincess
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>She discovers it's possible for someone else's life to flash before your eyes, and to her surprise, it makes her angry.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Flash

She discovers it's possible for someone else's life to flash before your eyes, and to her surprise, it makes her angry.

Angry at their latest foe, for dealing the blow. Angry at Hawk Moth, for creating another victim and forcing an innocent person to do such a terrible thing, instead of having the decency to fight his own battles face to face. Angry at herself, for not seeing the attack coming and getting out of the way on her own.

But mostly, she's angry at him, and the worst part is she knows it's not even fair.

They had settled the matter ages ago, very early on in their career as the protectors of Paris. She had hated it from day one, his determination to take every blow for her without a second thought to his own safety. It had very nearly caused an argument between them- they were equals, she reminded him, not hero and sidekick, and his life and safety were just as important to her as hers were to him. Injuries and scratches were a part of the job, and to try and protect her from every bruise or bumped elbow was madness. But the grim fact of the matter was that only she had the ability to cleanse the akumas, and only she could reverse the damage they had done, and so they had come to a tense agreement on the matter- he would never hesitate to take the fall when she was in serious danger, but nor would he allow his protectiveness to turn into recklessness over minor hazards.

But now, seeing the results of their agreement, she can't help but wish she had pushed that agreement a bit more. Not that it would have done any good; she doubted he would have even given a second thought to pushing her out of harm's way, to taking the killing blow that had been meant for him. She had been his partner for too long to think that any spoken agreement could have stopped him from action when he was determined. As much as it drove her nuts some days, it was also a part of charm, and to see him still, lifeless, _dead_ because of it made her angry.

With that anger came clarity. There was only one course of action to follow now, and she would pursue it to the grave if need be.

Some human part of her opponent with a sense of self-preservation must have gained control, because a flash of movement catches her eye and she sees him bolting, leaping from rooftop to rooftop in an attempt to get away. She allows herself a final glance at her fallen partner, one more second to mourn, before launching into pursuit, and if there's no playful banter or good-natured teasing at her side, it only serves to spur her on faster, free of distraction, but also pursuing the one thing that might bring it back. She struggles to keep her focus, clearing her thoughts of both the despair that threatens to crush her and the unverified hope that threatens to carry her away, as she closes in on her akumatized foe.

Her powers of luck seem to finally be returning to her- for once Lucky Charm summons a logical, useful item, a bag of marbles that give her just the advantage she needs to trip up her opponent and take his cursed object away. There is no confident smile or cheerful wave as she purifies the butterfly this time, just as there will be no congratulatory fist bump, and it is only grim determination on her face as she throws the bag of marbles in the air and allows the magic to reverse the damage Hawk Moth's akuma has done.

Almost before the light fades, she is running back to the place where he fell, unsure of what she will find, _praying_ that the magic Tikki provides her with extends to damage of this extent. Minor scrapes and bruises were one thing, but could the magic heal on this grand a scale?

She doesn't know what it means when she returns to the spot where she left him and finds it completely empty. Does this bode well, or is it simply her magic's way of protecting her from further pain? Tentatively, she calls out his name. “Chat?”

No response.

Again: “Chat?”

Nothing. 

Her knees give out.

She hadn't realized how much she had been clinging to this last hope until it was taken from her, and suddenly she's struck by just how lonely the rooftops of Paris can truly be. Her eyes begin to well up as she contemplates the idea of fighting alone for the first time since she gained the mask. The pain may be enough to break her, and she feels herself-

“Well, My Lady, it's good to know you do care about me.”

The effect might have been comical under any other circumstances. She jumps and twists around at the waist so fast she feels her joints pop, one hand flying to her mouth to stifle an undignified yelp, the other going to her heart. But then her eyes meet his and she looks him up and down and he's _there,_ he's _alive,_ and her flailing reaction hardly seems to matter.

“Don't you _ever_ do that to me again,” she hisses at him as he steps fully out from the chimney he had been hidden by. He looks perfectly fine- no gaping hole in his chest, not even the slightest tear in his costume. Her restorative magic was stronger than she would have ever dared to hope.

For his part, he looks apologetic enough as soon as the words are out of her mouth, like a kitten who had acted on impulse and realized very quickly that he'd made a mistake. “I'm sorry, Ladybug, I shouldn't have misled you like that. It was selfish of me.” He offers her a hand to help her up.

“Not actually what I meant,” she murmurs, wrapping him in a tight hug the moment he's hoisted her to her feet. She can feel the anger and hurt beginning to subside. Hawk Moth will answer for the events of the night- there is no question in her mind about that- but as his arms come to rest on her shoulders and she relaxes for once in the comfort of his presence, she thinks it can stand to wait for now.

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't written fanfiction in five years. Figures it would be something like Miraculous Ladybug to drag me back.
> 
> I've always thought that in theory, since Ladybug's restorative magic seems to be able to fix any damage caused by an akuma victim, this would surely extend to physical harm up to and including character death as long as it was caused entirely by the akuma victim.
> 
> This is probably trash but it was knocking around in my brain and wouldn't leave me alone.


End file.
